Workplace of the future
The Digital Metals AI Hackathon in Vienna
23. January 2020
The Digital Metals AI Hackathon in Vienna
2 minutes spent reading
Christopher Eberl
Christopher Eberl is editorially responsible for the topics on the blog as well as for the apprentice website. With his stories he provides deep insights into the diverse world of the voestalpine Group.
At the Digital Metals AI Hackathon on January 16 and 17, 2020, 17 technology start-ups worked to create new ideas and potential solutions to current challenges faced by the High Performance Metals Division of the voestalpine Group.
Sometimes taking a different perspective is truly refreshing. That was why the High Performance Metals Division and Primetals Technologies joined the Pioneers startup scouts to organize a recent hackathon in Vienna.
Both were determined that the two-day event would produce potential solutions to two highly topical “use cases”, i.e., current challenges, and their hopes were not in vain: some of the eager participants worked late into the night, with the fruit of their efforts clearly evident in the presented results.
"I am absolutely delighted with the inputs. I recommend holding such hackathons once a year, in order to participate also in the innovation process in general."
“Over both days the dynamism was palpable–the agile working methodology, and the innovative potential that the start-ups demonstrated is astounding”, said Johannes Eichler.
"Great opportunity to get extensive insight and expert feedback from your target industries."
"... where innovation and professionals meet."
New approaches, new network
The juries ended up choosing two final winners–one with a solution for automatically generating purchase requisitions, and the other with their app for measuring pieces of steel in 3D. “The aim wasn’t to be presented with finished products, but rather to gain new input and approaches within a short space of time”, stressed Chief Digital Officer Michael Eder. He, too, enjoyed the atmosphere at the hackathon, and the talks with the start-ups. “We certainly made one or two new contacts which means we have succeeded in adding potential new partners to our network–a considerable asset in the digitalization process”, said Eder.
"I was impressed to see, how well the first protoypes are working within only 1,5 days and how different these approaches are. The Hackathon is a good format to quickly reach an assessment of the subject."
Feedback
"First hackathon experience - it was amazing! "
"One of the best organized hackathons I’ve been at, and I’ve been to many as both participant and/or sponsor."
Christopher Eberl